Minister for Defence (Australia)

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Minister for Defence (Australia)

The Minister for Defence is a senior Australian government minister in charge of defence policy and the Department of Defence, including the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The minister is part of the Federal Cabinet and is accountable to Parliament.

Current minister: Richard Marles has held the role since 1 June 2022 and also serves as Deputy Prime Minister. He was appointed by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese after the 2022 federal election.

What they do: They oversee defence policy, planning, and funding, making sure government decisions are carried out by the Department of Defence. The minister and department must report to Parliament after each financial year.

Policy and research: Defence policy is developed with three key centres — the Air Power Development Centre, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, and the Sea Power Centre. The minister also releases Defence White Papers outlining capabilities and reform plans. The 2016 Defence White Paper is referenced in this context.

History: The role has existed in some form since Federation (1901). In the early years and during World War II, there were separate ministers for Navy, Army, and Air. The title and structure have evolved over time.

Appointment and terms: The minister is appointed by the Governor-General on the Prime Minister’s advice and serves at the Governor-General’s pleasure. Style: The Honourable. Seat: Canberra.

First holder: James Dickson. Salary: $364,406 per year.

Website: www.minister.defence.gov.au/current-ministers/2022-06/richard-marles